KalaniBright_eGameDesign

=Hawaiian Educational Game World= Kalani Bright (kapaakea *at* manastudios *DoT* com)

UPDATE: Iʻve done another game design according to Instructor feedback:
This game will fit into the world described here, and will technically be a game within a game.

Introduction
When I attended my Game Art & Design school we were told not to think it terms of entire game worlds. The massive scale of such a task required teams people and was not the stuff of a single person. That just reality speaks to the realities of the game industry today where top shelf games hog enourmous budgets and stretch out half a decade with fifty or more developers working tirelessly on them; if you include marketing you triple the number of people.

Well that wasn't the story with old 2D adventure games; that isn't the story with 2D based casual games and web games. With these types of games you can really increase your scope of effect. A game world can be designed and constructed with a small team of people (1-3) if they follow and design their game around the old ways of building games, but afforded modern tools.

I believe a multi-player universe built on a common technologies (Flash & Java) with a world builder can allow anyone or a team with art and educational skills to build immersive learning environments. It is my belief and opinion that the massive scale of games, especially 3d games, is an educational downfall as all to often people get too busy running around that the focus of the educational intent simply vanishes into thin air - and the educational content is only absorbed by the learner in miniscule amounts. Despite being in 3d the games usually lack the art, design, and fun factor caused by the ankle-biting budgets of the educational game industry. There simply isn't enough money to do the same sort of games, at least yet, as tools progress who knows?

The idea is to have a multiplayer universe learners can explore; not big and empty like many 3d games, but small and potent - with many things to do. Walk around, engage in conversation in others but with instant access to educational topics. In a language learning environment imagine the power of simply clicking on a word someone speaks to you to understand its meaning. Play ancient Hawaiian games with friends that haven't actively been played in more than a century. Learn about history, mythology, language as well as math, science, and environmental science all woven together in a cohesive way into the game world. By completing quests and so forth achieve higher levels of rewards and learning and unlock special secrets and quests to further your knowledge. Help will always be there; and the game world is responsive to your learning difficulties.

For an idea of game play please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygAXaWCxPJ4\

Below are some screens which simulate what the game/animation editors might look like. Screen #1 (c) GoAnimate.com

Instructional Objective
The instructional objective is to allow people to explore the game and content, as preferred by the learner, to learn about a variety of topics of interest to the learner that related to Hawaiiana; convering ancient and modern topics. It's aims would to teach about language, history, culture, history, and the environment as well as topics such as math, english, science with a Hawaiian perspective.



Learners & Context of Use
This learning world is designed for a large age group. As people interested in the topic are nurturing towards each other the age gaps shouldn't cause problems; however there will be different areas of the game for everyone with certain areas only accessible and relevant to certain age groups.

The context of use is up to the user and or the organizational body which is using the software. As learning is reported to a central server learning progress could be accesed and maintained. As the engine is cross-platform and both web and desktop deployable it could be employed in any classroom; an internet enabled on or one with no internet access used as a desktop application. A teacher could log in to review associated student progress.

It might however be used by adults at home to learn Hawaiian; or to engage themselves in Trivia, Konane (Hawaiian checkers) or other casual game activities.

Each learner would get to create and customize a 2D avatar of themselves; they would have an inventory with items they could interact with.

Competing Products
There are no competing products or comparable products.

Object of the Game
The game goals are actually learning objectives; but they're not represented that way. There are several goals or quests which relate to larger goals and so on. As a learner completes activities or is successful in a certain part of the world, they will receive both renown and special items and quests related to the objective to expand their experiences which are designed to be entertaining.

Due to the online and changing nature of the world the specific objectives for a person, based on their background, might change week to week.

Content Analysis
The content is something that will be added as time progresses. However math games, science games, historical games (role-playing), trivia, hawaiian language games, environmental awareness games. All the games will be designed in such a way as to be relevant to the character the learner is playing.

For example an educational game involving math skills might involve a job the player has flying a news chopper. They can fly it over Honolulu and learn about its places as well.



Game Materials
Time, a web browser, a computer.

Time Required
As a online world play is not restricted. The game is meant to be played as long as the user desires to. Typical play session could be anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours.

The Rules
No rules, except no swearing in chat. Offenders can be banned, a badwords lists will be used to censor.

Motivational Issues
The game world is designed to trigger curiousity and learning. Play of certain games can be done with friends. Also a buddy list, personal avatars, and items, and fun things such as special emotes (animated characters) and items you can use on yourself and with others should make the general world pretty enjoyable. The fact that you can walk up to some items, pick them up, and use them as well as interact with them to play games, some competitive, some collaberative, and some solo will help to increase the popularity of the world.

Design Process
My design process has been entirely in my head, thinking through what would help me learn; something that would be fun. One of the problems with Hawaiian language is not having people to speak to. I wanted to address that issue and also create a compelling world to enjoy, learn, and communicate with others while targeting all age groups that could use a computer. From there I created some art as well as put some art of concepts and work I've done in the past to contribute to the overall vision of the world